Direction indicator for vehicles



G. E. BATES.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR VEHICLES.

APPLlcATloN FILED AuG.1o. 1920.

1,407,831 v Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-,SHEET I.

MMM JNVENToR.

ATTORNEYS.

G. E. BATES. DIRECTION INDICATR FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I. 1920. 1,407,831 Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

wf 0 l f4 A INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. BATES, o-E SYEACUSE, NEW YORK.

DIRECTION INDICATOR EOE VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application led August l0, 1920. 1Serial'No..402,61.

hicles, 0f which the following isa sspecifcation.

This invention :relates to direction indicators of the Aclass setf'o'rth in vmy pending apv plication, Sr. No. 279,934, filed March 1,

1919, and yhas for 'its Vobject a .construction and grouping of .the parts by which lthey can be -readily 'assembled Ain .a .permanent unitary structure. The invention consists in the novel :features yand yin 4the combinations and vconstructions hereinafter set forth and claimed. f

In kdescribing this invention, .reference is had to theacconipanying `drawings `in which like characters designate corresponding .parts in all the views.

.Figure 1 is a Airearelevation of 'this direction indicator,'the contiguous part of a motor vehicle, as :the windshield to lwhich the ydirection indicator is attached, .being also shown.

Figure 2 is a plan view of parts seen in Fig. l.

Figure is a .rearelevatiom partly 'broken away and parts as the rear indicator kdisk being removed.

Figures 4L and 5 are sectional views taken respectively, .On'lines 4-4,- and 5 5, Fig.3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the support forthe axle of the indicators.

This invention comprises front and rear indicator plates, an axle on whichfthe plates are mounted, a lsupport located between the plates and .formed with a slot'open atone end for .receiving the axle, means Zextending across theiopen end ofthe slot to hold the axle ifrom displacement, Athis means also 'being connected tothe axle to -rotate the same.

The indicators and their axle constitute one unit and the support another .unit'which are assembled by placing the axle inthe slot and then closing'the open rend slot by Vineans for actuating `the axle.

- Theindicator 'plates 1, 2 are here shown as sheet metal disks havingon theirouter faces, indicating characters as arrows, fthe plates forming a 'background against which the arrows are visible in all lights :and positions of fthe observer. These disks'or plates are substantially as shown and described in my Patents NOS. `isis,994, issued ,June es, 11920,.

direction indicator for vehicles; 1,355,528', issued Oct 12., 1920;, fdirectiionzindicator for motor vehicles; and 1,364,172, issued Jan. fl, 19,21, direction indicator for .motor vehicles. f Y

'3 .designates .the axle fon whichsth'e disks 1, 2 fare iixedly mounted, thesdis'ks fhaving openings for receiving the axle and the .ends of fthe axle V.being riveted or-spun -onto the outer faces Aof the .disks to vsecure the 'disk f to the axle, :thus thedis'ksrand the axlearein the general form of a short bobbinor'reel with :relatively ylarge heads.

.5 is the support which is in the form :of-a hollow flattened box or housing. The ifiattened lbox flike housing vis also formed with an open ended slot 7 extending inwardly from ithe lower side thereof, this 'slot :being the iresult ofalined vertical slots formed in the front and rear sides, and `a transverse cator `plates 1, 2 and hence 4the arrows :thereof. As yhere shown, this member is ,an endwisely movable rod 9 having a :rack meshing with gear teeth 10 provided on the intermediate 4part of vthe faxle. This ,rod extends through .a hollow arm r11 secured `to a house ing 12 connectedito the windshield Airon :13 :in any suitable fmanner, and in which housing is journaleda 4shaft '14 having azpinion h15 meshing witha rack lonithe contiguous end of vthe shaft. wardly from the housing and has a handle 18 at its rearfend f The rack E16 is .formed onacircularapart of the rod and the teeth arev long yenough to permit :turning of the housing 12 to confor-m to different-slants of .windshields and remain in 4mesh with v'the .pinion 15` as the ipinion shifts withithe housing. The housing ishere shown as'secured .to the windshield liron by a clamp :19 connected *to lthe ehousing by screws 20, the clamp having a jaw 21:?opposed -to a ifixed jaw 22 on the housing i12. The rod 9 fis slid endwisely intoposit'ion through 'the .hollow .arm 11 and finto the housing :12 mounted on the arm 11.

The shaft 14 extends Lrear- The housing or support 5 is also formed with an upwardly extending plate 23 which is here shown as a segment-of ya disk, the plate 23 having a signal as the word stoplr thereon' on the rear face thereof.` The arm ll is here shown as a tube and the housing 5 as formed by iiattening or shaping the end of the tube and the end of the housing closed by a plug 24 and the plate 23 and plug 24 held` in position by ,hollow rivets or screws 25,*extending 'tranversely through the. base portions of the plate 23, the housing 5 land l the plug 24. Said rivets or screws are prefersary.

ablylocated at diametrically opposite points of the axle 3. Owing to the construction of thehousing'or support 5, it iswatertight and no shield enclosingv the disks is neces- One` of the disks as `the rear disk 2 is'also provided with a cutout 26 arranged tocome intoalinement withthe signal platef23.

Theindicator plates l, 2 are held in the r. position to whichthey are adjusted, -it'ibe-A ing u'nderstoodrthat they are capable of assuming but fourpositions assumed, respectivelygnvhen the arrows point upwardly, to the right, the left and downwardly, by any suitable means as here shownk asfin impositiveorfrictionlocking means here shown as carried by the support. 1 Y

As here illustrated, i the rear diskiis formed with sockets orV depressions 27 in its r'earxfuseav said plate having four sockets,

which sockets arearranged to come into and out of alinem'ent withthe hollow screw or rivets 25, and poppets or balls 28 are 'ar ranged in the rear of these screw or rivets 25, the poppets being pressed outwardly into the sockets 27 of the rear plate 2 by coiled springs 294 arranged! in the rivets 25, the rivets being closedl atthe front ends to provide abutmentsl for the front ends of the springs. f l

Each disk or plate'l, 2 is also formed with a small-*centralaxialoifset orhub 30 to take uplooseness between the support 5 and the plates. Usually,a lampbracketl is also mounted on the arm,` it being here shown as having-a ,split hub or' collar 32y on the'arm and held. in position by fa clamping'memberBS. f l` ,t

It is obvious that owing to the bobbin' like structure V,of the disks vl, 2 and theirV axle 3 and the slotted support 5, that these parts together with the actuatinginechanism lcan bereadily assembled, and further in that the arrangement of the spring pressed poppets coactingwith depressions in oneor both plates provides a particularly simple and ei'iicient means for impositivelylockingl the plates in any radial lposition and further in that owing to the circular teethon the outer end' of theerack member, the device readily conforms to windshields ofdiferent slants,

In use, the device isattached to onesde of the windshield, preferably the left side, and extends., laterally therefrom to the left side of the car so that the indicator plates l, 2 extend in vert-ical planes extending transversely of the vehicle. v

In operation, when the car is traveling straight ahead, the disks 1, 2 are turned by means of the handle 18 so that the arrows point upwardly. To turn to the right or to the left, the handle 18 is turned to the right or to the left, thus turning the disks 'so that the arrows point either to theA right or to the left; and when it is desiredto stop, the handle 18 is turned toy rotate the disks so that the arrows point downwardly and carry the cutout in the plate2 to expose the word stop to a stationary signal plate 23. `In any of4 these positions,i the spring pressed poppets arranged diametrically vopposite each other, engage correspondingly located sockets onthe opposing face of the rear? indicator plate. The movement of the rod 9 is limited in either direction striking against the plug 24;. and the opposing wall of Vthe housing'. iThe portion of the rack or tionand the plug 2lif and opposing wall of thehousingfis suftieientto :permit a half revolution ingeither direction when the arrow points u i Thisdirection indicator in so far-as my present invention` is concerned, is particularly, advantageous in that it consists of a few parts*whichvareisimple in yconstruction and which can quickly be assembled.

WVhat .I claim is: t

l. A direction indicator for vehicles oomprising forwardly and rearwardly facing indicator members, a rotatable axle on which the indicator members are fixed, a support arranged between said members and formed with/a slot open'at one end for receiving the axiethrough :its `open end, `and actuating means. extending -across the openend of the slot andicoacting-` with the axleto holdit from displacement, and to actuate it, substantially as -and'forthe purpose described.

y2. A direction indicator comprising opposite'ly facing substantially parallel indicator members, fa rota-tableaxfe on which the indicator members `arerixed to rotate therewith, tlieaxlevhaving gear `teeth on the intermediate portionethereof, a support extending between the indicator members and have ing a'slot open at one end for receiving the axle,.and a toothed member 4carried by the support, and closing the open end fofthe slot to hold thefaxle from displacement,fsaid members, a rotatable axle on which 'the indicater members are fixed to rotate therewith, a support ihaving fa flattened hollow portion extending between the indicator members and having alined slots in its front and `rea'r sides and rin its bottom wall, these'slots providing the support with a slot or a passage open at 'one end for receiving Evthe axle, and a. member located in the hollow portion and extending -across the slot in the bottom of the support and thereby closing the open end of the slot or passage of the support and holding he axle therein, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A direction indicator comprising oppositely facing substantially parallel indicator members, a rotatable axle on which the indicator members are fixed to rotate therewith, a. support having a flattened hollow portion extending between the indicator members and having alined slots in its front and rear sides and in its bottom wall, these slots providing said portion with a slot or passage open at one end for receiving the axle, and a member located inthe hollow portion and extending across the slot in the bottom of the support and thereby closing the open end of the slot or passage of the support and holding the axle therein, the last mentioned member being connected4 to the axle, and means for moving said member to actuate the axle, substantially as and for the purpose specified. y

5. A direction indicator comprising a unit in the form of a bobbin consisting of front and rear flanges forming front and rear background indicator plates, anaxle fixed to the flanges, and a unit formed with a slot open at one end for receiving the intermediate part of the axle, and means associated by the latter unit and coacting therewith to rotate the former unit and to close the open end of the slot to hold the axle from displacement, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A direction indicator comprising rotatable front and rear plates, andan axle on which the plates are mounted, a support for the axle including a portion extending betweenthe plate, and a spring pressed means carried by the support and pressing against the inner face of one of the plates, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. A direction indicator comprising a support, a stationary signal plate mounted on the support, a rotatable indicator member having an axle journaled in the support and movable over the face of the stationary signal plate, and normally covering the same and having an opening arranged to be brought into alinement with the signal late to expose the same, substantially as any for the purpose described.

8. A direction indicator comprising a support, including a hollow box like portion having 'an upwardly extending signal plate support and the signal-plate, onedisk being n formed with a cutout arrangedto be brought into and outof alinement with the signal plate, and means for actuating the axle iin'- cluding `*a member extending into the housing, said member engaging theaxle to Irotate the same, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

9. A direction indicator comprising a support including a. hollow boxlike portion formed with a slot open at one end extending inwardly from the lower side thereof, a signal plate carried by the boxlike portion, indicator disks and an axle on which the disks are xed, the axle being arranged in the slot whereby the disks are on front and rear sides of the support and the signal plate, one disk being formed with a cutout arranged to be brought into and out of alinement with the signal plate, and means for actuating the axle including a member extending into the housing and across the open end of the slot, said member engaging the axle to rotate the same, and the axle being held from displacement out of the slot by said member, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. A direction indicator comprising a support including a boxlike housing having a tubular shank, indicator members located in front and rear of the housing, an axle for said member journaled in the housing, and means for actuating the axle including a member extending into the housing through the shank thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. A Vdirection indicator comprising, a support in the form of a. housing having `a hollow arm extending laterally therethrough and provided with means for attachment to. the vehicle, the support being formed with a slot open at one end extending inwardly from its lower side, a unit comprising frontand rear indicator members, and an axle connecting said member, and the axle having its intermediate portion located in the slot and provided with gear teeth, a rod extending through the arm and into the housing and across the open end of the slot and having rack teeth meshing with the gear teeth of the axle, means for attaching the arm to a vehicle and means for actuating the rod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. A direction indicator comprising a tubular supporting arm having a flattened end forming a housing, an axle journaled in the housing and extending transversely therethrough, indicator means carried by the axle, and means for rotating the axle extending through the tubular support means, and into Cyl the housing, substantially asv and `:for the purpose described. c

13. A direction indicator comprising a tubular supporting arm having a flattened end forming a housing and indicator plate carried by the flattened housing and lapping one side thereof, a hollou7 fastening member extending transversely through the housing extending through the tubular supporting means and vinto the housing, and spring pressed means inthe hollow fastening member and coacting with the plate to hold in the position it has been turned by the actuation of the axle, substantially as and Jfor the purpose specied. i

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and ,State of New Yorkythis 6th day of July, 1920. Y

GEORGE E. BATES. 

